Arbitration
by ScoreCounter
Summary: Arguments, Fights, Damaged Pianos... naturally, things happen. So, naturally, there needs to be... some form of resolution. Even if one is a caffine addict and the other seems to had fate curse her... [Rated T-12 for some non-permanent death and really soft drug use.]
1. Prelude

**_All characters, with the exception of Holtran and Sophia, for the purporses of copyright, belong to thir holders as specified in the Game "Super Smash Brothers for Wii U."_**

**_Arbitration_**

**_Obviously, with many different people of quite a number of species living in one multiplex, arguments break out. Pretty often in fact. And given that many of them are fighters, it's to be expected that these get violent. But what about when they do? It can't be that wounds are allowed to foster, even if there's a poorly trained doctor around. So, since the Core is oft busy…  
>There are a couple fellas. Often referred to as "The Arbiters". But, those on their good listening know their true names. Holtran Flax, and Sophia Reeds.<em>**

It was a relatively quiet week, all told. Sophia lied back in her chair in the office, spectating the current match. Rather standard. Team match, 2 vs. 2, 4 stock each. Rather normal, really. Looking at it, it was getting close to ending in a draw. You see, these two were also in charge of the statistics, and Holtran was one of those "clear-cut it must be" types. If a match ended in sudden death, then obviously there was a game skewed by luck, or a dead-heat, and it should be recorded in a purely historical manner. Shame, really. But she did understand the cut of his jib, so to speak.

And speaking of the male, he was sitting the other end of the office, making sure that all the "nothing to report" records were correctly cleared. Needless to say, he was not so laid back right now. The large grandfather clock behind him was ticking slowly, as the young man looked at the paperwork with one eye, and the game with the other. "Ugh. Seriously, Robin? Left-smashing you're ally? I thought you were a smart man for goodness sake…"  
>"Well, everyone makes boneheaded moves sometimes, Holtran. Like that time when you tried to put the two hedgehogs in the same cell."<br>"As much as you insist they were going to fight, I know what I saw. They were so about to-"  
>"Holt! For crying out loud you're such a damn shipper."<br>"Hey, at least I don't actually write about it. Like the time you wrote that Caskett scene."  
>"I thought I told you to forget about that!"<br>A lopsided chuckle. "Well, at least it's canon, I guess…Hey, Soph…" His voice was a calm, Central England tone, with subtle sub tones of German and American mixed in. "You know that time a few days ago? Yanno, when Kirby cooked?"  
>"Yeah…" A warm, slightly more northern (American) accent. Hey, I'll say it… Lots of planets have a north. "What about it?"<br>"Didn't Peach try and bust in? I'm sure she had a banning order on the kitchen…"  
>"…Damn. Guess there was something, huh."<br>"It's nothin'. No-one got hurt, so I can file a blue on it. Just need to remember the darn details…"

_It started a couple of weeks ago. You see, the multiplex/mansion/whatever did have a hired chef… but then quite a few people then elected that it's better to have a rota of people cooking. Yanno, variety and all that. So, a rota was installed. However…_

_"Well, it hardly matters. I don't need any help, I'm the best cook here!"_

_"Just get out, okay! I can handle this, you sexist idiot!"_

_Unfortunately, Peach seemed to forget a few things. Most important one being about setting the kitchen on fire.  
>"So… when can I get out of here?"<br>"Oh, yeah, right, looking all sweet and pretty now that you're in trouble Peach, just like you."  
>"But you can't hold me here for long right? It was an accident after all…" Sweet smile.<br>"Let me handle this, Soph." The sound of a chair being dragged in front of the holding cell. "Peach, I'll make this easy for you. No. You're due in here for another two days yet."  
>"What! But isn't that a bi-…"<br>"Silence. You know the rules full well, you've been here long enough. Without clearance, you can't work in the kitchen on your own. And now, not at all."  
>"What!" The sound of chair being pushed back as the user stands up.<br>"You've had a banning order filed against you. Month long."  
>"And? What other hell are you going to throw at me? I am a princess, you know. And a fighter, so you can't dismiss me."<br>"Actually, I can. For the same period of time, 28 days, you also forfeit any games you take part in."  
>"What the hell! Why?"<br>"Well, put it this way. Next time, don't call someone trying to help you 'Sexist'. Especially since it's a bit hypocritical. I'll have you know…"_

_"Dark Pit's a good cook." The Female Arbiter, back from her quick expedition.  
>"Yeah, a half formed cloned idiot. Sure, I'll let him cook."<br>"… You'd do well to hold that tongue of yours, Peach." The sound of paper ripping, and being shoved through an energy barrier. "See ya in a couple of weeks."  
>Peach walked to see what the paper said on it. "Permission For Release …Humph. Just Peachy."<em>

"Are we the only ones who see her as a condescending prick?" Holtran was hurriedly typing the Restraint Counteraction form out, wanting this job finished as soon as possible.  
>"I doubt that very highly. Have you heard how she acts after she's won? You know, I'm starting to think that Mario and the Toads let her get kidnapped as karmic retribution."<br>"Oh, they do. No-one is particularly keen of her. Her paper version is much nicer. And a million times more useful."  
>"Yeah…" She sighed. "But, hey, at least the rest of them are civil."<p>

Just as she said that, a siren started blaring.  
>Holtran immediately glared at his female colleague. "Oh, ya just had to didn't you?"<br>"Well, hey, at least we have a job now."  
>"… Lower Concert Hall. Fate Temptin' Ladies First."<br>"Hmm…" A smirk. "Don't mind if I do."

It does probably suffice to say that this is not quite a mansion, more of… a giant living space, with two interconnecting corridors leading to the main battlefields. After all, why the heck would a mansion have two concert halls?

But, I digress. I best get straight on, and tell you the first of the tales I will unfold.

-Prologue-  
>Neither Peacekeepers<br>**\CLEAR/**


	2. Episode 1

-Arbitration Record One-  
>Soft Notes<br>\Opening/

The first tale that was of note was one rather strange, and overall just petty excuse for an investigation ever. But, first, the details. Obviously, there can only be so many games at a time – generally, Classic Runs are done one at a time, All-Star Challenges are done fairly infrequently, and only 5 games can be run at a time because – well, someone needs to watch these games. So, this can leave quite a number of fighters in the blank, not to mention down times, overnight (You seriously didn't think the day was one-minute long, did you?) and so on and such forth. So, naturally, fighters and Involved Parties (FS assistants, Pokémon, Assist Trophies) have to do something to pass the time.

And, for some, this involves the pursuit of the Performing Arts. And, it was such a pair that got into a rut this time. As the pair opened the door, well… it was quite clear that this was gonna have to be filed at – well, at least an orange. Dark Pit, of all people, was lying down on the floor, and his eyes… well, let's just say he was looking a bit darker than normal. And, the other party? One Altean Prince Marth, whom, unlike many people would say, actually had practiced English to a point at which he could speak it… fluently in fact. But, you know what they say. The phrases just stuck. Besides, it's not like he spoke much during matches anyway.

Nonetheless, Holtran was not at all pleased. "Why, thank you Marth! Rather than wait for our input, you decide to give your own anyway. Thanks for all the damn-" A chuckle from the floor. "And what's so funny from you?"  
>"I tripped. I suppose I'm getting as clumsy as that" *Cough* "Damn clone of mine…" *Cough**Cough* "Seriously, go ahead damn you."<br>"Well, since you caused this with your blooming fate curse… why don't you take 'im to meds, Soph?"  
>Another glare. "Whatever you say, sir."<br>And the glare is returned, before changing into a smirk again. "And how many bags of wool?"  
>"Shut up, Holtran."<p>

As the girl hoisted the darkly winged angel above her shoulder – not overly begrudgingly, may I add, Holtran took a look again at the familiar room. There were mirrors dashed around over the ceiling, just behind most of the lighting, in order to make sure that it was all reflected towards the stage. Just further down were the 'announcement banners' as Sophia called them, you know, the little strips of LED's that display messages and just kind of – orbit everyone. You know, the things on the Boxing Ring? Ah, what are they called again…

But I digress. Concealed just beneath the floor were some theatre seats, tiered, as one would expect, and an automated system just to ensure the seats were cleaned. After all, an entity with a power of a god had made this place. Who would he be if not a merciful man to the cleaning staff (although obviously not to the fighters – they were there to be abused, in a way, after all.)

"So… how is one prince today? Been looking after your lot?"  
>"…I suppose that you could say that." Looking away, shy as ever. Even though he was the commander of an army, he was as gentle and as mild mannered as ever. Not to mention as studious. When he arrived, as a part of the 'First Review', he was not at all confident with English as most of the other 'Smashers' were. And, even if it were not for the kind demeanour of the prince, it would immediately prove to be an issue, especially so with things that happened shortly after the 'Second Review'… Holtran grit his teeth at the thought… He may have not been there, but he saw it. Looking down on such a… massacre. Many things changed because of those events, which I will get into later, but, again, I digress.<p>

"And when is the apology for the accusation coming?"  
>"Ah, sorry about that…" Holtran's turn to blush in embarrasment. "Haven't had my rush of caffeine yet."<br>"Oh…" Marth looked mildly surprised. "Really? You've usually had some by now… ah, go ahead. I'll let you smoke, it's not gonna harm me anyway."  
>Smiling greatfully, Holtran withdrew a strange smoking pipe, with a strange blue powder loaded into it. He quickly flicked his thumb over a little dial, activating a heating element, boiling the – somehow – powdered caffeine down the pipe, and instantly setting of the sensitised neurones as it was inhaled.<br>"… I still don't know why they let a drug addict be in charge of us lot…"  
>"Oh, come on!" Holtran almost choked. "Be fair now… you know that the most famous detective of all time smoked something slightly less innocuous! And, hey, I heard you had a bit of a Saké obsession at one point."<br>Marth almost spluttered in indignation, before chuckling lightly. "Eh, I suppose you got me on this one. Anyway, now you've gotten your fix, do you mind doing your job?"  
>A bow. "Yes… My Lord."<p>

… A Blush.

"Slight brusing here and there, but, all in all, I don't see anything wrong with him. Although, I must admit, it's strange that his copy got similar injuries as well."  
>Sophia laughed. "Trust me, those two are related in a few ways… but still, thanks Sharles."<br>"…You do realise you make me sound like some pampered boy when you say that?" Sharla, unfortunately, was unable to bring in her ether rifle (mostly due to it being an unregistered firearm), but that didn't stop her from doing her job when she could, since she was an actual trained medic, and not a short man with 20 certificates from the Great Travelling University and Dry Cleaners.  
>"Well, sorry. I'll be checking up on them later, alright?"<br>A nod. "Alright… 'Godspeed', I suppose."  
>Sophia smiled to herself. That was one mystery solved. Pit simply tripped over, and since him and his twin are as closely linked as they are… well, it made sense.<br>…Then again, it could be true that Dark Pit tripped, but it didn't matter, anyway.

"So, you're saying that it just… doesn't…" The tap of a key. "… work at all?"  
>"One moment it did, an hour later, it didn't. An entire bunch of keys just… ceased, I guess."<br>"Really?"  
>"Also, I guess I should note, I left the cover open. It was closed when I and the Dark one got back here."<br>"And you left it alone? Nice work on the grammar by the way, most English people get it wrong."  
>"Humph." A laugh interlaced within his voice. "I've seen. And, yeah, I left it alone. Per regulations, as you put it."<br>"As is. Anyway, I suppose you don't want to be kept around too long. I'll ring up a piano for you in Upper, should be there by the time you get there."  
>A grateful smile. "Thanks, Holtran." He turned to leave. "Oh, by the way, how's yours getting along?"<br>"Swimmingly, actually. Still can't believe she convinced me to it to be honest."

He flashed back to the time when Sophia announced the music they would be singing this time. And, it was fair enough, since he had chosen 'Live & Learn' last time… but, still, the music she chose this time, whilst not bad in and of itself, it's arrangement…

Ah, now he's digressing. After a brief farewell to Marth, he seated himself on the stage, waiting for his female colleague to return.

It took a mere few minutes. After a quick exchange of information, during which Sophia swiped the pipe, they stood at the piano, slowly putting on gloves.  
>Sophia was giving Holtran a bored Look. "Seriously, this isn't even a murder, and you're still forcing me to put these on."<br>Using his strong vocal cords to give him the voice befitting a small robot dog, a chirp of "Affirmative!" echoed about the room.  
>"*Sigh*… why are you still hung up over that incident with Samus' clothes anyway?"<br>An indignant glare.  
>"Whatever you say, whatever you say." She placed her thumb beneath the lid, flush against the main body, and the remainder of the fingers over the top, her palm acting as a bridge.<br>"Crack her open."

"…Well, that's interesting."  
>The first thing that was obvious to Holtran was the partial absence of the leg that held the lid in place. In its place, was a short stump of wood. Looked almost as if it was precisely cut.<br>"No grains on the base of the piano… no ash either though. Must have been cut by some sort of energy, eh, Soph?"  
>"The whole things been cut – look. All the string has gathered on the wall."<br>"And the cut has been angled downwards. Any intentional cut would go straight across the way. That'd guarantee the strings be cut, right?"  
>"No exit wound, though. So to speak."<br>"More credence to accidental damage. The shot must have been from a cancellable weapon."  
>"So a Super Scope seems a lightly contender?"<br>"Right now yeah…" Hilton ran over tapped a few buttons on the external computer monitor on the side of the stage, just out of view… "Especially since it happens that one was taken out a few minutes ago…"  
>"By?"<br>"Marth himself… who also activated the Shooting Range behind the stage an hour or so ago, and… perfect score. Last shot was discharged… 20 minutes after. We were in the canteen then, weren't we?"  
>"Yeah, and so was he…"<br>"Which makes our first port of call finding that scope."  
>"…Computer, open everything up."<br>All of a sudden, the entire room started shifting, revealing a bunch of targets, the screen…  
>"Woah! Look at the top of that thing!"<br>Somehow, as Sophia had surmised, the blaster had ended at 'the top of that thing', by some weird means.

"Well, there's this entire thing solved." Holtran smirked.  
>"Hey! What do you mean!"<br>"Well… Look at the way it's pointing."  
>"Up… towards the… OH!"<br>And look what's sticking it to the screen?"  
>"…Gotcha."<p>

Sophia sat down, taking her turn to fill in the report. "I must admit, he took it rather well."  
>"Well, that may be because Marth was so forgiving of the poor lad. He looked on the verge of tears to me."<br>"Poor thing… he probably had no idea what was going on."  
>"That's true. But, anyway, DNA swabs have come back. All that's really happened is that the thing needs sterilising. How did it even get into his mouth anyway?"<br>"Well, here's my theory…

"It looked to me as if he was looking around the concert hall for a mike. There were none in at the time, so he was probably searching for an object of a similar view. From a long distance, in the right light conditions, the poor animal could easily mistake a super scope for one of the larger microphones. And since he has a long lounge, that's more than achievable. The moment he realised what he had in his mouth, he spat it out, it hit the screen at an angle, the charge likely destabilized. Boom. And then, the shot reflected."  
>"Poor Yosh…"<br>"So… that's that done! So… I see you've gotten yourself ready."  
>Holtran blushed. He was dressed in red, pretty much skin tight , and had dyed his hair white. "You're effectively asking me to dress up as how a girl would look as a boy!"<br>"Better than forcing me to dress up as a wolf." Sophia was the same, but all black.

***Later***

Sophia was confidently controlling her breathing warming up. Holtran was a nervous wreck, naturally. Oh, he would so get her for this later.  
>"You awoke me, unleashed the fires in my heart!"<br>"I will dance, and I'll defeat them through the light and the dark…"

-Arbitration Record One-  
>Soft Notes<br>**\CLEAR/**


End file.
